Powell River Project
Reclamation Guidelines
for Surface-Mined Land in Southwest Virginia

Creation and Management of Productive Mine Soils

Authors: W. Lee Daniels, Associate Professor of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech; and Carl E. Zipper, Assistant Professor, Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, and Director, Powell River Project.

Publication Number 460-121, posted May 1999

Figure 6 Final reclamation grading of a topsoil substitute. The designated material has been end-dumped in closely spaced piles and is being graded with a small bulldozer. By following the set of practices outlined in this chapter, and excluding traffic after final grading, 3-4 feet of loose, uncompacted mine soil material can be created in most surface mining environments.

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